302 TlMEHRI. 
capable of being taken up by the plant, that is to say 
the soil needs a mechanical, instead of a chemical 
treatment. It would be out of place here, however, to 
enter into the consideration of such matters, so I would 
recommend those of my readers who care to pursue the 
subject further, and who are unacquainted with scientific 
agriculture, to obtain one of the excellent manuals that 
are now published — the works of Professor TANNER 
being, perhaps, the most lucid in exposition. 
Considerable difference of opinion exists in regard to 
the advisability of taking off 'catch-crops' from the 
coffee land, that is of cultivating some plant whilst the 
young coffee trees are growing. I think the system an 
advantageous one, providing that the coffee is not too 
much covered up. The land will then be giving some 
return, and the weary waiting for shipments of coffee 
will be broken in upon by the sale of the catch crops. 
Maize, plantains, sweet potatoes, tannias, and other 
food-products can be raised, according to the fancy of 
the planter and the local demand for vegetables. I have 
already recommended the planting of bananas or pigeon- 
peas to shade the young coffee, the bananas may be sold 
locally or shipped to the United States where there is a 
ready demand for them ; and if cattle be kept, as I have 
advised, the pigeon-peas will be most serviceable as 
grain, for they contain much flesh-forming material. 
The advantage of keeping clown the trees by topping 
is seen when the crops are gathered, for the highest 
branches can be easily reached by the pickers. Some of 
my own trees have been allowed to grow to a consider- 
able height, and it is necessary to use step ladders in 
picking the berries. Besides this disadvantage, I find 
